Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Romans 1:16-22

Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Therefore, we know God is righteous, and there is no other way to Heaven except through Jesus. Romans 1:16-22 offers four factors to help us better understand this truth.

The Revelation Factor: all men have some light.

God created us to serve and know Him. There are two witnesses all people have; one is the outward, objective witness called creation. The other is the inward, subjective witness called conscience.

The Refusal Factor: light refused increases darkness.

Adrian Rogers says, “The opposite of truth is not error; it is sin.” When creation and conscience speak to us, and we continue to refuse God, we regress. We lose even the little light we have; our foolish hearts are darkened. Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." In this context, the word "suppress" means to resist the truth; not in error, but in unrighteousness. Because belief in God leads to an entire life change, unbelief is the baggage that comes with disobedience.

The Reception Factor: light obeyed increases light.

Romans 1:16-17 says, “...for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. When we receive and believe the truth, we will be given more truth. When we surrender our will, God will speak to us; we can begin by obeying Scripture we understand.

The Reckoning Factor: God will judge us by the light we’ve rejected.

Many of us are fortunate to have immediate, easy access to the Bible. God will hold us accountable for this, more so than the person who’s never heard. This should encourage us to take advantage of the light we’ve been given, lest we lose it.

Apply it to your life

All men have some light; light refused increases darkness, and light obeyed increases light. Men are judged according to the light that they have. Knowing what you know, take advantage of the Scriptures available to you, and share it with others.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: John 6:66-69

If you were given the chance to speak to someone who has never known the love of God, what would you say? If you knew it would be the first, and perhaps the only time he would ever hear a message from God, what would you tell him?

Tell him why you believe in Jesus Christ.

John 6:66-69 says, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, ‘Will ye also go away?’ Then Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’”

Jesus’ disciples had the privilege of seeing Him work from an intimate vantage point. They were not like the crowds who watched Him perform miracles and turned away once His message became too radical. They believed that He alone is the answer. Through their testimonies, they gave us reasons to believe this, too.

Jesus was a historical fact. Whether you are a Christian or not, a man named Jesus was here. Secular historians acknowledge Him as a fact regardless of what they believe about Him.

And if you believe the Bible, the book that stands the test of time, you can believe in Him. Jesus’ life is the fulfillment of the prophecies foretold long before He stepped foot on this earth.

The central theme of the Bible is Jesus. If you look long enough, every page of Scripture tells His story.

Even though historians and theologians alike validate the life of Jesus Christ, you may need help believing in Him. This is where the Holy Spirit comes into the equation. Adrian Rogers says, “Anything I can talk you into; somebody else can talk you out of. You need the Holy Spirit of God to convict you and convince you.”

A transformed life is the greatest witness of Jesus’ saving power. Just as the disciples gave their testimony of faith in Jesus in John 6, we can also testify to others when we come to know Him.

Apply it to your life

How has Jesus changed your life since you’ve come to know Him? Knowing your testimony is your greatest asset when you witness to other people. Share it with someone today.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Joshua 17:12-18

In Joshua 17, the children of Israel have reached the Promised Land, Canaan. Canaan is a picture of a Christian living in victory, being Spirit-filled. However, there were still Canaanites in the land—a demon-possessed people who represent the power of Satan trying to keep us from victory.

“...when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.” (Joshua 17:13).

This passage represents how children of God often settle for less than God’s best. God’s plan for His people was total occupation, but rather than conquering the land, they believed they could tame the Canaanites and use them for their purposes. Some Canaanites they feared, others they befriended and became like them. Each relationship with the Canaanites was a sinful compromise that jeopardized their victory.

Likewise, God’s plan for us is total victory through Jesus Christ. Instead, we convince ourselves there is use for our vices and addictions; we befriend the world and fear the devil. Ironically, the Israelites boasted about their greatness, as they failed to drive out the Canaanites.

Adrian Rogers says, “Pride is bad enough, but pride that lifts its head from the mire of failure is terrible.”

Finally, noticing that they were running out of room in the compromised land, Joshua instructed the children of Joseph to clear out the forest on the mountain. We must clear out the harmless things that clutter our lives. Though trees are beautiful, the Israelites needed the ground. Likewise, our clutter may not be sinful or wicked, but we need the space and time to do what God wants us to do.

We must clean out the harmful things that corrupt our lives. God’s order was to first cut down the trees and then drive out the Canaanites. When we first declutter our lives, we can use that new time and energy to conquer the Canaanites of our lives.

Apply it to your life

Do you want to live in the victory that God has planned for you? If you have compromised and boasted in your sin, it’s time to get rid of the clutter and clean out the things that corrupt your life.

Adrian Rogers says, “There is no sin that you cannot overcome, no temptation so terrible, no problem so big, no devilish power so great that you cannot overcome in the strength of the Spirit of God.”

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: John 20:24-28

Adrian Rogers says, “The only man-made things in Heaven are the scars that we made in the hands and feet and side of the Lord Jesus.”

The Bible tells us that when Jesus comes again, we will see those scars He received from His sacrificial death.

John 20:24-28 explains three reasons why Jesus still bears the scars.

“Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing’” (John 20:27).

First, the scars tell us that as a man, Jesus suffered.
In this passage, Jesus invited his doubting disciple, Thomas to examine His scars, which he received when He was crucified. These scars testify that He suffered for us, and still suffers with us, whether in grief, in persecution, or when the Church is unfaithful.

The scars also show us that Jesus sympathizes; they remind us that God has been with us, He has felt what we feel and He understands our pain.
Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tested like as we are, yet without sin.”

Pain has a protecting purpose; it warns us to pivot away from the things that harm us. Pain also has a unifying purpose. As the physical human body comes to the aid of a suffering member, pain draws people together.

Finally, these scars reveal to us that Jesus saves.
He received these scars when He died upon the cross for our sins. He did not have to suffer. Yet, He moved into our suffering, took it on Himself, so that we could be saved from our sins.

Isaiah 53:5 says, “He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.”



Apply it to your life
Jesus had some scars, and if we follow Him, so will we. Let your pain point people to the Gospel; and if you are suffering today, bring your wounds to Jesus; use your scars for His glory.

Adrian Rogers reminds us, “A scar is a wound that is healed. You need to let Jesus heal your wounds, and then use that as a testimony for Him.”

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Luke 24:13-26

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a known fact that we fully believe as Christians. However, in the days following this miracle, some of the disciples were struggling to believe it.

Luke 24 tells of two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who came face-to-face with Jesus Christ Himself, the week after Easter.

This passage first describes the discouragement of their confused hearts.
In verses Luke 24:19-24, we learn these disciples had heard the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, yet they believed it to have been a misunderstanding. They were confused because they were looking for a political Messiah, and hoped Jesus would come and redeem Israel; yet Jesus had been crucified.

Their misunderstanding led to disappointment; this led to doubt and discouragement. They did not yet understand that Calvary would lead to Easter, and Easter to Pentecost—when the Holy Spirit came and carried out what Jesus began.

Second, this passage reveals the discovery of a challenged heart.
“So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him” (Luke 24:15-16).

These disciples were already believers, though they were backslidden and discouraged. Jesus sought them to claim and comfort them. Likewise, we love Jesus, because He first loved us.

Adrian Rogers says, “If Jesus would seek us when we were just out-and-out sinners, surely He will seek us when we’re saved and away from Him.”

Jesus caught up with them on the road to Emmaus and taught them the Word of God (v. 27). He challenged them because He wanted them to learn to depend upon Scripture and continue growing after His ascent to Heaven. He opened them to the Scriptures, and as a result, He opened their eyes. Only after He taught them God’s Word did they recognize Him. They saw Him in the fulfilled prophecies of Scripture; they also now recognized Him bodily in front of them.

This moment led to the declaration of their convinced hearts.

Their encounter with Jesus sealed their belief in His resurrection; they immediately went back to Jerusalem with the news, telling everyone about their risen Savior.

Apply it to your life
Are your eyes opened to the Bible, and to the risen Savior? Is your convinced heart set aflame? Pray and ask God to challenge you as you read Scripture today.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Acts 4:1-20

Acts 4 tells of the great conquest of Jesus Christ, the one who died and arose from the grave.

He is still alive and well; the Christ that walked the shores of Galilee is alive through His new body, the Church, even today.

Because He lives, His persecution continues.

Adrian Rogers says, “When you persecute the church, you persecute Jesus.”

In the beginning of Acts 4, a miracle was performed by the disciple, Peter. He claimed it was the power of Christ in Him who healed. As a result, the people were beginning to follow Jesus. The religious leaders didn’t like it and began persecuting the Church. But because the apostles were acting as the hands and the feet of the Lord, it was Jesus who was persecuted, too.

Because He lives, His preaching convinces.

How did these uneducated fishermen preach and five thousand come to Christ? They were not dependent upon their power of persuasion or winsomeness to bring these people to Christ. It was the people’s encounter with Christ through the disciples that convinced them to believe.

Because He lives, His power confronts.

There are things happening in this world today that are undeniably done by the hand of Jesus. He is still performing miracles.

Because He lives, His presence compels.

After spending time with the resurrected Christ, Peter was compelled to tell others about Him. If we spend time with Jesus, we will be as bold as His disciples. His presence will compel us with a holy boldness; a knowledge that Jesus is alive and He lives through us.

Finally, because He lives, His people confess.

Acts 4:20 says, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Anybody who has known that Christ is alive cannot keep quiet; we cannot hold it in.

Because He is alive, we can wear persecution like a badge of honor.

We can let Jesus convince, confront and compel others through us.

Let us not be ashamed to confess what He has done in our lives.

Apply it to your life

Do you know that Jesus is alive? Does your life reflect this? Stay in the presence of Jesus.

Like an iron in the fire, let there be a holy boldness about you. Tell someone about Jesus today.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 3:18

The cross of Jesus Christ is the cure for sin. 1 Peter 3:18 points out three truths about how God forgives and deals with sin through the cross.

The very first truth is the vicarious suffering of the cross. The word vicarious means “in the place of another”. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust....” Jesus, who is the just, sinless Son of God, died for the unjust, us. He became our substitute. He faced emotional and bodily suffering unlike anything we could possibly imagine.

In the Old Testament, God instituted the ritual of the Passover Lamb. There was judgment upon the land because of sin, but God told His people to kill a perfect, spotless lamb. They were to take the blood of that lamb and put it upon the doorpost of their houses. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot...” Jesus' crucifixion bears symbolism of that of a Passover Lamb. Even then, God was using the Passover Lamb as a prophecy and a picture of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Notice also the vital satisfaction of the cross. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sin....” Once; once for all. The debt has been paid in full. To say that there needs to be another sacrifice for sin is blasphemy. It is finished.

We see also the victorious salvation of the cross. “He hath suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” Sin separates us from a Holy God. The cross reconciles us a Holy God. Adrian Rogers says, “On that cross, Jesus took Holy God with one hand, sinful man with the other hand and by the blood of His cross, He hath reconciled God and man.”

God has a way of bringing us back.

“Oh the love that thought it; oh the grace that brought it.”

Apply it to your life

Do you believe in the cross of Jesus Christ? The vicarious suffering, the vital satisfaction, the victorious salvation? Thank God for the sacrifice He made through Jesus Christ to bring us back to Him.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 27:26-31

Before Jesus was crucified, a crown of thorns was placed on his head. Though done by the hands of wicked men, this crown part of the magnificent plan of a sovereign God, who would use it as a message for all humanity. Matthew 27 sets the scene for the sacred mystery of that crown. In one sense, this was an act of mockery. Yet, there was a mystery here, known only by God: thorns symbolize the curse that is upon humanity because of sin.

When God created man and put him in the Garden of Eden, there were no thorns. It wasn’t until after sin infiltrated the garden that God cursed it with thorns. When He was crucified, Jesus wore this crown of thorns because He bore the curse. The crown also speaks of suffering, pain and brutality inflicted on Jesus during His crucifixion.

Why were the Roman soldiers beating and mocking Him? Because of their rebellion; they were ridiculing His right to rule. Adrian Rogers says, “The root of all sin is refusing to bow the knee to your rightful king.”

We must also recognize the saving ministry of that crown. Through these thorns, God was teaching a lesson that Jesus, who knew no sin became sin for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Because of His holiness, God never has, never can, and never will let one sin go unpunished. There’s only one question...who will bear that punishment: us or Jesus? Adrian Rogers says, “Sin will be pardoned in Christ or punished in hell, but sin will never be overlooked.”

Finally, we must remember: crowns have always been a symbol of authority. When Jesus wore this crown of thorns, He was the sovereign majesty, not a helpless victim. Even when it seemed out of His control, He was in perfect control.

Jesus, in His glory, wears a crown. A crown of peace, righteousness and glory. But on our behalf, He wore one of thorns, bearing our curse, our sin, our shame to save us from ourselves once and for all.

Thank God for the crown.

Apply it to your life

All sin is due to be punished. Who will bear the punishment… you or Jesus?

Today, ask God for His forgiveness of your sins. Thank Jesus today for wearing the crown of thorns. Bow the knee to the rightful King.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Luke 22:39-47

In Luke 22, Jesus told His disciples about His coming crucifixion at the Last Supper. When He later came to the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed three times: Lord, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.

This wasn’t a literal cup; rather, a symbolic cup, meaning to experience something fully. Was He afraid of His coming crucifixion? Did the cup symbolize the physical pain He would soon feel? What was it that caused Jesus to dread the drinking of that cup? It was sin; every sin through all the ages polluted the cup, as well as the punishment of that sin. It was not the physical pain He would feel that caused Him to plead for another way. No; it was the vileness and filth of sin He would soon take on that caused Him agony. And the silence from heaven said, there is no other way.

God will never overlook sin, for He is holy. By His holiness, He has sworn that sin will be punished. So, when Jesus took on our sins, God the Father, in holy justice, treated Jesus as if He were a sinner, and punished Him as such. Jesus knew this, yet He consumed the contents of the cup anyway. He chose it.

In His holy humanity, Jesus shrank back. But in His divine love, He said, “Thy will be done.”

Jesus wrestled between His holy humanity and His divine love. His love won. Adrian Rogers says, “The cross is God’s way to punish sin and forgive the sinner at the same time.”

There is one more cup, one that we drink. Just before Jesus went into Gethsemane, Jesus was at last supper with his disciples. He told them: this is the New Testament in my blood. Drink it.

This is the cup of communion, and it is ours to drink.

He drank the cup of sin that we might have the cup of redemption.

Apply it to your life

Have you accepted the cup of communion? Have you wrestled with submitting your will to the Father? Can you truly say, “Not my will, but Yours be done?”

Adrian Rogers says, “As I look at dark Gethsemane, there are two things it tells me. Number one, I want to hate sin. Number two, I want to love Jesus Christ.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Luke 22:39-47

In Luke 22, Jesus told His disciples about His coming crucifixion at the Last Supper. When He later came to the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed three times: Lord, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.

This wasn’t a literal cup; rather, a symbolic cup, meaning to experience something fully. Was He afraid of His coming crucifixion? Did the cup symbolize the physical pain He would soon feel? What was it that caused Jesus to dread the drinking of that cup? It was sin; every sin through all the ages polluted the cup, as well as the punishment of that sin. It was not the physical pain He would feel that caused Him to plead for another way. No; it was the vileness and filth of sin He would soon take on that caused Him agony. And the silence from heaven said, there is no other way.

God will never overlook sin, for He is holy. By His holiness, He has sworn that sin will be punished. So, when Jesus took on our sins, God the Father, in holy justice, treated Jesus as if He were a sinner, and punished Him as such. Jesus knew this, yet He consumed the contents of the cup anyway. He chose it.

In His holy humanity, Jesus shrank back. But in His divine love, He said, “Thy will be done.”

Jesus wrestled between His holy humanity and His divine love. His love won. Adrian Rogers says, “The cross is God’s way to punish sin and forgive the sinner at the same time.”

There is one more cup, one that we drink. Just before Jesus went into Gethsemane, Jesus was at last supper with his disciples. He told them: this is the New Testament in my blood. Drink it.

This is the cup of communion, and it is ours to drink.

He drank the cup of sin that we might have the cup of redemption.

Apply it to your life

Have you accepted the cup of communion? Have you wrestled with submitting your will to the Father? Can you truly say, “Not my will, but Yours be done?”

Adrian Rogers says, “As I look at dark Gethsemane, there are two things it tells me. Number one, I want to hate sin. Number two, I want to love Jesus Christ.”